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2007 BMW 335i Coupe Road Test

Cruel and Heartless, But in a Good Way
 
This isnt your average drivers car. It doesnt constantly reaffirm the driving experience with kinetic feedback during every lane change or highway on-ramp and it wont make you feel like a hero for doubling the limit on exit ramps. No, that would be much too simple for this vehicle. Simply put, the ordinary will remain ordinary and you can ho-hum your way to work (and feel every pothole and manhole cover along the way with the clarity of a whips crack) barely engaging the second, large-output turbo or noticing the direct tracking of the speed-sensitive power steering. For a car with this much ability, you really should look for a track before even thinking about what its capable of, because in traffic, or anywhere near civilization, it has too much power and too much composure

300 horsepower, 300 lb-ft of torque in a two-door coupe. Sounds like the perfect car for Jon. (Photo: Jonathan Yarkony, American Auto Press)

to even get a glimpse of the threshold. Sure you can dangle the rear end (all-season run flats arent exactly designed for ultimate grip in near-freezing temperatures), and traction control will kick in on bumpy curves as the rock-hard tires skitter like pebbles skipping across a pond - Im a big fan of trusting the electronics to balance my heavy right foot coming out of those turns - thats what theyre there for right?

My dialogue with this car amounted to probing for flaws

The nose wasnt to everyones liking. (Photo: Jonathan Yarkony, American Auto Press)

and weaknesses, and finding few; none in the cabin, none with the engine, none with the transmission and maybe only a little with the newfound flamed surface styling. However, the longer the conversation went on, the more I felt like I was the biggest flaw this car exhibited. Not that theres anything (seriously) wrong with me, but I was most likely the root of any problems that were manifested by the vehicle. If it were up to me, new buyers should have a thorough screening and interview process to gain access to a set of keys, as opposed to the reality of a credit check being the key requirement to ownership

Tail end of the coupe found more admirers than the sedan. (Photo: Jonathan Yarkony, American Auto Press)

and operation of a vehicle, because, as opposed to another equally German brand that wants any driver to come and drive their cars off its lots, Im guessing BMWs engineers would prefer if only qualified and skilled drivers were entrusted with the operation of their masterworks. But hey, this is no Ferrari FXX, so what am I talking about?

Well, this is yet another rendition of the Ultimate Driving Machine, and I began to feel that only on a good day or evening, only when the astral bodies are in complete harmony and choose to smile down upon me,  and only if all my senses are lit up with a divine purpose would I have

Curved bodywork transforms the 3-Series into a metal canvas for paint. (Photo: Jonathan Yarkony, American Auto Press)

the ability to drive this car to its full potential, turning off all safety systems, hanging the back end out and gracefully arcing around corners and bringing it back in just in time to shoot out of the apogee in so fine a fashion that Halleys comet would be jealous of  my skills. Id like to report that this took place on a cold, starry autumn night, but, umm, Im afraid no such thing happened. Would have been cool though.
Theres a lot to say about this car, and to try to fit it into a length that doesnt overstep your attention span (or mine, more likely), will require incredible restraint. Ive only had it for a couple days now and Im already filled with conflict. Sometimes I look at it and feel completely indifferent,

Tasteful interior combines elegance with minimalism. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

like its a lightly styled appliance with a really nice paint job and cool headlamps. Then at other moments, when I come around a corner and the light hits it at just the right angle, it looks like a fabulous piece of modern architecture, with fascinating surface treatments, solid forms and great use of light and visual flow. The long hood and sleek tapering of the roof into the trunk are traditional, but the creases and twisting wheel spokes are so modern I think Frank Gehry may have penned some parts of it. Ill have to settle for beautiful in places, awkward on the whole.

On the other hand, its nothing short of the most beautiful interior Ive seen in a BMW, with light cream leather and carpets with dark burl walnut trim creating a warm, rich and luxurious environment in contrast with the stark, all black interiors

No iDrive, just the standard CD player and digital climate control. The head unit is fussy and difficult to navigate. It also stores the trip computer info. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

Ive come to expect from the brand (and sometimes a good dose of red leather to boot). This doesnt begin to describe the range of options for interior dressings, though, since BMW offers several combinations of leather mixed with either aluminum or wood trim to lighten the mood or isolate the driver in a black hole, so that his attention will be focused solely on the road at all times.
 
Personally, Im a bit sad that my tester didnt have the optional navigation system, as it is bundled with iDrive. I find the system logically organized and intuitive to operate; it really only takes 15 minutes with the manual or a sales person explaining its hierarchy and then a short period of living with it before being able to reach primary controls without even looking at the screen. I can only imagine how reflexive it must become for an owner to access desired menus at

Why thank you! An arm extends to give you the seat belt so you dont have to stretch. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

the cardinal points (I like to think of the main entry menu as a compass star) without even looking at the screen; heck, of a lot easier than something like Saabs little army of green-glowing buttons marching across the console or Volvos stylish console with its teensy buttons all piled on top of each other on one remote-like bar (very cool, but not very glove friendly from a company that should know about driving with thick winter gloves, not to mention that they are positioned low so you must direct your eyes far from where they should be... the road and mirrors).

Anyhow, thats my defense of iDrive. Youll likely see it again every time I read what I consider an incomprehensible oversight of condemning a user interface on the basis of merely a week-long or sometimes shorter test period. Oh, and apologies to owners of cars with BMWs first generation iDrive - I hear its a mess.

Getting back to the 3-Series Coupe, the interior was a gorgeousenvironment, and the

Like a jet-engine, the 335i Coupes twin-turbo provides constant, smooth thrust. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

best aspect of the hospitality was the extremely supportive and supremely comfortable Sport Seats. They were adjustable in 8 ways, but my favorite feature was the side bolster adjustment that cinches you into your seat with complete authority so that you can execute aggressive maneuvers without a hint of seat-slide. From the excellent position in the drivers seat, the thick-rimmed, three-spoke steering wheel manually adjusts for tilt and distance from the driver, allowing you to find a perfect combination of distance from the pedals to the seat and the seat to the wheel, and the shifter was always close to hand in its traditional console position.

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